Molly Watta: Art in the Digital Age

Self-taught painter and digital artist, Molly Watta deals in the heavy reality of being human in an era of rapidly advancing technology.

“It’s surreal to have seen the evolution in society with technology and the social network boom,” Watta mused. “It’s scary to know that this is only the beginning and there will be consequences and negatives that come along with our technology.” 

Internet & Me

Tech is a pervasive element in many of her paintings, if only in the form of a brief allusion to its ubiquity. An @ sign here, a keyboard there, and the occasional “www” draws the viewer’s eye. Watta’s art seems to reside in the no-where place one imagines might exist behind a screen—a sort of dreamy hyperplane where objects are stratified, pixelized, and made into both more and less than a sum of their parts.

One could say that Watta is bringing cubism to the 21st century. As Pablo Picasso and Georges Braques felt the anxiety of sudden change at the start of the 20th century, Watta explores the implications of hyper-acceleration in the digital age. But it would be an oversimplification to chalk Watta up to a modern-day cubist. Her work is forward looking; she creates art for an audience yet to come. 

“The first forms of technology I was introduced to are now obsolete and years from now they will be myths and antiques,” Molly said. “I want viewers from the future to see pieces of classic tech in my work and say ‘what’s that?’” 

Molecular

In contrast to this futuristic thinking, Watta describes her style as “primitive,” but with complex concepts behind the simple technique and execution in her works. Instead of classic influences, Watta cites new artists like Virgil Abloh and Brian Donnelly (Kaws), creatives who have, in Watta’s words, “elevated their art style into a mega-brand that spills over into fashion and music.”

Whether you want to call it cubist, futuristic, or elevated, Watta’s art is certainly something to behold. But why wait till the future to see her imaginative work when you could check it out right now with your own digital device? Follow Molly Watta for updates on her work and art @_mollywatta and check out her website mollywatta.wixsite.com